Bittersweet
by Kenners
Summary: Sasuke returns willingly to Konoha but has a secret to reveal. With Sakura angry with him and Naruto refusing to help will the Uchiha tell her before it's too late? I suck at summaries, just read it. Chapter One Re-written
1. End to the start of a perfect night

Sakura was in complete bliss. Her bedroom was perfectly dark except for the sliver of light escaping her digital clock showing 3 am. She was encompassed in a beautifully soft and warm duvet and was just sinking into a peaceful sleep. Her eyes were heavy and she felt herself creeping into her little dream world, a few more minutes and she could have a full nights sleep. After a fifteen hour shift in intensive care that sure sounded inviting. And her pillow was so damn soft…

_BUZZ! _

"No," she moaned to herself groggily.

_BUZZ! _

Her beeper vibrated against the hard wood of her night stand producing the most irritating sound. She grabbed the beeper and turned it off, resisting the urge to throw it against the wall. She let out a frustrated sob as she pulled her tired body out of her warm bed. The cold night air rippled against her and she felt goose pimples erect instantly all over her skin. She threw on her black linen trousers and a white t-shirt. She had absolutely no desire to wear her uncomfortable uniform and if that crabby head night nurse had a problem with her attire then she could go to hell for all Sakura cared. She pulled on her green Jounin vest to keep out the bitter cold she knew was waiting for her outside. She slid on her sandals and shuffled into the kitchen to knock up the world's fastest cup of coffee before rushing to the hospital. If she took longer than another few minutes to arrive then that stupid beeper would begin to vibrate like crazy. _"Pedantic night nurse," _Sakura thought to herself.

This had been the third time in a row she had had her sleep interrupted, she wouldn't have minded if they were actual emergencys but the majority of the time it was something the nurses could have handled with their hands tied behind their backs. Sakura sighed heavily and pour the boiling water into her travelling mug and grabbed a cookie from the jar on the side board before walking out of the kitchen towards the front door. She placed the cookie between her teeth, reached out and quickly turned the door handle. She opened it hastily only to collide with Naruto who was stood right before her, fist balled and poised to knock the door. He fell forward and bumped her abruptly, causing her cookie to fall from her mouth onto the dirty porch step. She watched it fall into a small puddle and glared at Naruto.

"Naruto!" She said with a growl. However he didn't give her a childish smile like she expected, instead his face was serious and anxious looking.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked in a concerned tone. It was a rare occasion that Naruto was serious and it was usually a just one. He stepped forward quickly, grabbed her arm and took her coffee from her hand.

"You need to come with me," he said placing the coffee down on the step. Sakura pulled her arm out of his grasp gently,

"I can't I'm on call. I've got to go to the hospital," she said as she turned to lock the door. He took the keys from her and looked it quickly; he grabbed her arm again and pulled her down the short pathway that lead round the back of her house onto the highstreet.

"I know," he said as he pulled her along quickly. "So am I," he said solemnly. Sakura starred into the back of his head with confusion but allowed him to pull her along through the gate. She shut it quickly and ran out into the high street to catch up with Naruto who had already bolted ahead. She ran along side him desperately trying to keep up, he was going insanely fast.

"Naruto what the heck is going on? Why are we in such a rush?" she asked with an obviously confused tone.

"We don't have much time," he said simply. He turned his face towards her, his azul eyes were cold for the first time in his life. She starred him right in the eyes and felt her stomach turn.

"Naruto you're scaring me. What's happened?" She asked with a slight waver in her voice. Naruto looked away and gazed straight down the road seeing the hospital come into view.

"Almost there," he said under his breath. He jumped ahead quickly and she bounded off after him like lightning. They made it to the hospital in a second flat and rushed into the Reception, Sakura ran up to the desk.

"Atsumi," she said addressing the dozing receptionist with her head lying on the desk. The girl woke with a start and looked up at Sakura.

"Oh Dr. Haruno," she said and she straightened out, obvious embarrassed to be caught out by her senior. Atsumi noticed the man stood behind Sakura and stood up immediately with a slight shock.

"Captain Uzumaki," she said quickly. "Tsunade-sama is waiting for you on the third floor." Her eyes were sad like Naruto's had been. Sakura looked between them and compared the looks of evident despair. Her stomach was so tied up in nots she couldn't even bring herself to ask what was happening. All curiosity was now overshadowed by suffocating fear and dread. Naruto grabbed Sakura's arm roughly and bolted towards the stairwell. They ran up the stairs two at a time in complete silence. Sakura started to feel nauseous as they passed the sign saying,

_Third Floor – Intensive Care Unit. _

They burst onto the corridor and Sakura looked around bewildered whilst Naruto stood behind her completely still. Sakura looked down the corridor to see someone stood outside the Head Nurse's Office; she walked down the corridor with haste and greeted the person with a bow.

"Tsunade-shishou," she said respectfully as she could given that her throat seemed to be closing up. She straightened out to see the hard look on her sensei's face, it made another wave of nausea hit her as panic set in. Naruto appeared behind her again and Sakura looked back at him,

"Where is Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura managed to croak out. Tsunade turned to open the office door and let Sakura and Naruto in before closing the door. Sakura walked through tentatively and looked into the office; a slouching man with unmistakable silver hair was sat in an armchair in front of a desk. He looked back at them and then stood up quickly. Sakura felt relief sweep over her, every bad thought running through her mind had been swept away, now all that she was left with was confusion.

"Tsunade-shishou I was beeped. Have I got a patient to attend to?" she asked.

"Not in so many words Sakura," Tsunade said morbidly as she sank down into the chair behind the desk. Sakura gave her sensei a pleading look as if to say more but Tsunade remained silent. Sakura turned to Kakashi in search of answers but he was as unreadable as her last source.

"We apprehended a rogue ninja on the outskirts of Konoha early this morning. He in the room opposite," Tsunade finally said. Sakura, still looking confused, walked around the desk to grab the clipboard in front of Tsunade. But it was snatched from her hands before she could even read the name, Naruto took it from the desk and walked towards the door.

"Come with me Sakura," he said as he opened the door for her. She gave her senseis a look of confusion and walked out of the office. Naruto gave them both a look of contempt before shutting the door. Sakura stood in the middle of the corridor playing with the end of a tendril of hair. She could feel her head spinning through the transition of emotions from fear and panic to relief and confusion.

"What's all the fuss about some rogue?" she asked in wonderment. Naruto didn't answer and walked straight across the narrow hall and opened this door for her again, motioning for her to enter first. She gave Naruto a look of misunderstanding but entered all the same, grabbing her stethoscope from her vest pocket. Naruto shut the door behind them; the only noise that escaped the room after that was the clatter of the metal stethoscope on the sterile hospital floor.

Sakura looked down on the patient lying down on the bed before her, wires and tubes protruding from every inch of his body. The visible skin, of which there was little, looked pale and marred with dried blood. Even his raven hair was matted with a red colour to it, blocking the ever so familiar blue tint it had had before. She watched his chest rise and fall rhythmically to the beeping of the machine next to him.

"Sas…uke…" she stammered quietly. She looked down at him and felt her chest tighten. Her whole body began to shake as she looked at his unconscious face, riddled with pain. She took a tentative step towards the cot and reached out for the side of the bed to stabilize herself. She stood over him and felt her eyes glass over, her breath hitched and her legs were about to give way. Naruto rushed to her side and caught her before her legs dropped underneath her, he held her to him so to keep her up right. He felt her tremble and he held her tighter.

"Wha…," she mumbled. "What happened to him?" she asked. Naruto sighed quietly,

"We don't know. ANBU found him collapsed in the outskirts of the city. He was completely unarmed and already wounded to this extent." Sakura felt her breath hitch again. "I was on the team Sakura," Naruto said to her softly. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with stubborn tears that refused to escape.

"He said he'd finally come home for good," Naruto said simply. But despite the "happy" news Sakura had a little red flag going up in the back of her mind. Naruto should be ecstatic but his expression said the complete opposite, his eyes were dead and his face was hard.

"There's something wrong," she said. She looked back down at Sasuke's horrific form. "There's something you're all not telling me," she stated. Naruto looked down at the floor and remained perfectly silent, answering Sakura's question instantly. She tore away from Naruto's hold and walked hastily over to the SAT's machine in the right hand corner of the room, next to Sasuke's bed. She grabbed the clipboard on the windowsill and read the readouts printed. He had been here for about two hours and his blood pressure and heart rate had been gradually reducing over that time. His platelets were ridiculously low and his white blood cell count was far below its threshold. Sakura walked over to the draw near the window and grabbed a syringe and a small vile of fluid. She prepared the antibiotics and antibody injection and walked back over to the bed side to administer the drugs into his drip but as she looked up she found he was not hooked up to one. The drip usually contained everything used to treat infections and restore things the body needed to recover but noone had set one up for him. A mistake like that was like breaking medical 101. She gave Naruto a questioning look but he gave her no answers yet again. She turned back and swabbed the only part of his arm that was not hooked up to a wire. She pressed the needle to his skin but before she could administer the drugs a weak hand was grabbing her wrist in resistance. She gasped at the sudden contact and looked down at him, his right hand was holding her hand steadfast as to not inject him. His eyes were cracked open so she could see his deep onyx eyes looking up at her, his face forming a slight smile underneath his oxygen mask. Sakura pulled her arm back and looked up at Naruto again.

"Go tell Tsunade he's conscious," she said firmly. Naruto did not move a muscle. Sakura regarded him for a small moment and then started to get angry at his obvious awkwardness.

"Naruto go tell her!" she yelled at him.

"She already knows," a croaky voice came from below her. Sakura looked back down at Sasuke who had pulled his mask away so he could speak. Silently and with a blank expression she moved the mask back down gently and went back to his forearm with the needle.

"Sakura," came a harsh and commanding voice from the doorway. Sakura snapped her head up to look at Tsunade stood ahead with Kakashi behind her. "You are not to administer any medication is that understood." Tsuande's face was as stern as her tone. Sakura was taken aback by the biting register of her voice and looked back at Kakashi. His stare was blank too, the lack of information given away by anyone was causing her to really loose it. Her brow furrowed and her hands clenched the metal bars on the side of the cot. She felt a rough but soft hand placed on top of her own; Sasuke's hand was on top of hers and was making slightly stroking motions. Sakura looked from their hands to his face; it was seemingly calm and contented with the slightest smile. Their eyes met, her almond shaped emeralds connected his piercing onyx eyes and it sent a shiver down her.

"Sakura," he managed to utter. His voice ripped her away from his eyes; she pulled her hand away from his and she slowly backed away from the bed.

"Sakura?" Naruto questioned. Her face was contorted with confusion. She looked from Sasuke to Naruto to Tsunade and Kakashi back to Sasuke. She looked up and her face was once again emotionless and stoic. She walked from her place in the far side of the room out towards the door, not looking at any of its occupants as she passed them. The door closed quietly behind her. After a small moment of delay Tsunade sighed quietly and walked over to the cot side as she looked down at Sasuke.

"I hope you know what you're doing?" she said.

"Hnn," Sasuke grunted in reply.

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Thanks for reading. This is Chapter 1 of a short ficlet. Reviews are appreciated, with constructive criticism XD Love Kenners


	2. Scars that run deep

Disclaimer: I heard this once:

Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue,

I don't own Naruto and neither do you!

Enjoy Bittersweet

* * *

The corridor was beautifully quiet, no beeping and no talking. Perfectly silent despite the sound of her hyperventilating. Sakura had stood herself against the wall with her head resting against the cold hard plaster, her legs felt weak and the pit of her stomach felt as if it were on fire. The doctor in her was desperately trying to take deep breaths but like they said doctors make the worst patients. Slowly she regained control of her body, her breathes were slow and deep but the sound of blood roaring in her ears was persistent. Maintaining control of her body was all she could do to prevent a complete meltdown. Ever since she was a twelve year old girl she had worked effortlessly to become stronger. She had spent so long in her adolescent years being taken care of, having to be saved; she had finally grown to be very sick of it. She had worked for the past eight years of her life to become untouchable and it had worked. She had been told numerous times that she was now one of the strongest shinobi in the village with medical skills that surpassed even her sensei. But approximately seven minutes ago she was dragged out of bed, thrust into the cold night and brought to the hospital. Then she was brought into a room and confronted the one person who could make her unravel completely. His eyes had torn right through her and shattered her cool exterior, her measured personality and her calm demeanour. She shut her eyes and tried to breathe calmly.

The door creaked open quietly and shut with a load click, soft footfalls toward her couldn't even pull her out of her daze. It wasn't until a soft hand rested on her shoulder that she realised anyone was there at all. She creaked open her eyes slowly to meet Kakashi's calming onyx eye and his lazy smile. Sakura starred at him hard,

"Don't give me that look Sakura," he said calmly.

"Oh was I giving you a look Kakashi?" she said sarcastically. He let out a sigh and shook his head whilst Sakura folded her arms across her chest and sunk back into the wall for some support. She looked up at him and he met her gaze with a reassuring expression,

"Why is he here Kakashi?" she asked simply. Kakashi tried to hold her gaze but he looked away when her stare become too intense, he had nothing he could say to her without betraying his orders. Sakura looked hard at him trying to fish some answers from him but he stayed quiet, just as everyone had been doing since she arrived. Her patience was at its very end and she felt her fists began to shake uncontrollably. Anger and confusion suddenly bubbled over and she backwards punched the wall causing it to shake and some of the plaster to crumble away. The door shut and opened again but the characteristic clicking of Tsunade's high heels gave her away. Sakura didn't even look around,

"Sakura, Kakashi. Office now," she said simply. Kakashi gave his student a sympathetic look before putting his hand on the small of her back and directing her into the office she so evidently wanted to avoid. He led her into the room and pulled out a chair for you to sit on before sitting himself down beside her. Tsunade sat down behind the desk and interfolded her hands before resting her chin on them.

"It is obvious to me that you need to be informed before you knock down the hospital," Tsunade said simply. Sakura felt her cheeks turn slightly red from the embarrassment of loosing control. Sakura remained silent whilst trying to stop her fists from shaking. Tsunade sighed and took out a key to open up her desk.

"I know you're confused and probably angry with us," she said softly before going into the left hand drawer. "But there is certain information I cannot disclose at this moment, no even to you," she said looking at her softly. "But you can ask me questions and I will choose whether to answer them or not." Sakura turned to Kakashi who looked back, his expression seemed to warn her that this was the best she could hope for so she nodded in agreement.

Tsunade placed a heavy paper file on her desk with a thud causing a bit of dust to fly.

"Was this why I was beeped this morning?" Sakura asked. Tsunade nodded and Sakura felt a little less frustrated that she wasn't having to ignore a patient for his sake.

"Why is he back?" Sakura asked again, keeping her voice perfectly straight. Tsunade looked her dead in the eyes but tried to make her face as soft as possible.

"His motives are his own," she said simply. "It is something you would be better to ask him yourself." Sakura scoffed slightly and Kakashi sighed from beside her. She shot him a look that seemed to have an intent to kill. He shook his head, he was dissapointed in her inability to forgive; she used to be so caring but now she seemed totally dead to the world.

"You all seem terribly calm to have him here,"Sakura said disdainfully looking at them both in turn. "He wasn't handcuffed or restrained. Has everyone forgotten he's an S class criminal?!" she exclaimed.

"No Sakura we haven't forgotten," Kakashi said as he rubbed his temples with his fingertips, nursing the start of a migraine.

"And as for him not being restrained, that was my decision as Hokage. I'd appreciate it if you didn't question it again," Tsunade said with a hint of foreboding in her voice. Sakura was beginning to feel frustrated again; these weren't real answers they were just methods of shutting her up.

"Where exactly was he found?" Sakura said. Tsunade got up and went to the window and pointed out in a southerly direction,

"There's only one road that leads out the city as you well know," she said clearly. "The road leading past the stone bench memorial, he was found at the edge of the forest that leads to that road." Sakura could visualise that route perfectly, she even let out a sarcastic chuckle whilst thinking how she found it a bit farfetched that he had used the same route twice.

"What are the extents of his injuries?" Sakura asked in a very clinical tone. Tsunade pulled a long blue sheet out of the large file and began to read off a long list of injuries ranging from internal bleeding to burnt fingers. Sakura did not grimace once,

"Has he been treated?" she asked. Tsunade nodded curtly,

"For all those that are treatable yes," she said. Sakura got up from her chair and walked over to the window to look over the village.

"Why was he let back into the village?" Sakura asked coolly without facing them. Tsunade looked up from the injury list she had been examining with a start, Kakashi looked round at her also in surprise.

"What exactly do you mean Sakura?" Kakashi asked concernedly. Sakura looked dead ahead out of the window behind Tsunade, it looked out on the entire village below them.

"He should not be permitted back into village," she said simply. "I don't understand why you all still feel the need to protect and save him. He has made it perfectly clear on several occasions that he has no desire to be here with us. He is a traitor to the very core Tsunade-sama," she said coldly. Kakashi was taken aback by her directness but he had come to expect it. She had changed from the smiley young girl he had once known.

"So you would have left him?" Kakashi asked slowly. Sakura did not answer but he was sure he already knew the response she would have given if not in Tsunade's presence. Kakashi stood up from his chair and with a slight bow to Tsunade left the room. Tsunade sighed again slightly and got up also, walking over to the filing cabinet. She took out a thin pink file and walked over to lay it on the desk. Sakura turned round to watch her do so, the file was openned up to a page of various photos. Sakura walked over and pulled out several photos of a very banged up patient lying on a bed, her pastel coloured hair matted with blood.

"Sakura you have never been a cruel person," Tsunade said to her as she walked back round the desk. "So I cannot understand how this capacity for hatred has come about." She looked down at her student who was starring at the photos of her past mutilated body, her hands were fisting again.

"Sakura can you recall your last mission?" Tsunade asked her from by the window. Sakura nodded and regurgitated the mission specifications like a robot.

"September 23rd. Mission Objectives were to travel to Sound Country untracked. Second Objective was to Infiltrate Orochimaru's Compound and retrieve files concerning the regenesis justu. Mission Status: Successful." Tsunade hummed in agreement and walked over and sat on the side of the desk.

"A few years ago you would have jumped at the chance of missions to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke. It seemed to consume you, but in a good way. He gave you drive and passion. It was only after this single man mission that you refused any other missions with Team 7. Stop me please if I misrepresent you," Tsunade said sweetly as she picked up one of the photos and surveyed it. Sakura looked up at her sensei, if Tsunade was going to get fresh with her after dragging her here she was mistakened. "I cannot help to think these two may be interrelated. You never gave a mission report for that mission and at the time I did not press it due to your extensive injuries. But now I am demanding you tell me as the Hokage," she said forcefully.

Sakura looked up at her slowly and stood up even slower. Her hands went down to the hem of her shirt and lifted it up tentatively revealing a colossal scar gapped across her abdomen. Sakura ran a finger over the length of the scar that started near her belly button and ran all the way round the right side of her waist and then across her spine and up to her shoulder blade.The tissue was deeply cut and the mark looked jagged, the blow could only have been unbearably painful. Tsunade gasped slightly, she had repaired the wound when Sakura had dragged herself home half dead but the scar looked worse than the wound had ever seemed.

"That was a result of Chidori," Sakura said coldly. She let go of the fabric and let her top fall back down to hide the mar. Sakura looked up at Tsunade, Sakura's eyes were piercing her own with internal fury. "I want nothing more to do with Uchiha Sasuke."

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Second Chapter Finished XD Reviews are welcome and if anyone is still confused gimme me a message and I'll try and clear anything up. Keep reading, its all going to blow up in the next chapter. Love Kenners


	3. Senseis' choices

After his abrupt exit Kakashi stood out side the office door to compose himself before going back to the boys. He leant his head against the wall and pulled off his hitai-ate so that he could fully massage his aching temples. It tore him apart to see Sakura so changed from the loving child she had been. Up until a few months ago she had been normal Sakura but she had now become the type of ninja he had seen throughout his career, cold and sardonic. It was March now and Naruto and himself had had to watch Sakura fester in her own hatred for six months. Her stubborn refusal to rejoin team 7 after their numerous requests had chipped away at his belief that her emotional scars could be healed with time. He sighed a long and weary sigh and then walked over the Sasuke's room in front of him. He placed his hand on the cold door knob but before he could turn it and enter the room his ears picked up a snippet of conversation that wafted from the office.

Sakura's voice emanated through Kakashi's body, ringing in his ears like a drone from a coarse bell. "_This is a result of Chidori…" _was the phrase that stood out to him. And then it all made sense. September 27th was the day they found her collapsed outside ANBU headquarters; half dead from blood loss her body was still running thanks only to a couple of solider pills and sheer will power. It was a miracle she has survived. Though to him it seemed like a miracle wasted, living the stoic life she lived seemed like a ruined life to him. He had always suspected a correlation between that mission and her cataclysmic personality change but there had never been any evidence that she would give them, nowadays she was always so closed off to them. But now it all made sense. The wound was from Sasuke's chidori, the technique he had taught to him! The weapon he had given him blindly that could take away life, even a life he had had a hand in shaping. Kakashi's fist balled and he felt his whole body began to shake in rage. He thrust down the door handle violently and crashed into the room like thunder. Both occupants heads' snapped in his direction and Kakashi merely stood in the doorway, practically immobilised by his rage. Naruto saw said emotion written all over Kakashi's face and he took a tentative step towards him,

"Kakashi-sensei?" he questioned with a confused tone. But Kakashi's eyes had zeroed in on Sasuke who was still lying in the hospital bed. A fraction of a second passed between them as their eyes met and Sasuke's expression morphed from surprise to understanding. His sullen face seemed to say to Kakashi "_so now you know." _

Kakashi threw himself at him and grabbed his hospital gown roughly, pulling him right into his face.

"Kakashi what the…" Naruto practically yelled at him as he rushed towards them to break it up. Sasuke shot a hand up as to signal Naruto to back off and let Kakashi do what he may.

"Leave it Naruto," he said gruffly. Naruto was taken aback and looked from Kakashi back to Sasuke with feverish confusion. Kakashi however was less composed, he shook Sasuke as to regain his attention.

"It was you…" he practically spat. Kakashi had never felt himself loose his control like this before, his hands were ready to wrap around his throat and every fibre of his being wanted to destroy him. He felt his sharingan flare and seer right through Sasuke's forehead. "You were the one that mutilated her!" he hissed in a hushed tone that made it all the more menacing. Sasuke never broke Kakashi's eye contact, he deserved at least that much. Kakashi's eyes narrowed and he let go of him roughly, as if disgusted by the contact. Sasuke dropped back down into the cot as if nothing had happened. Kakashi took a step back from the bedside and glared down at him.

"You really have become an animal," he said venomously. Sasuke turned his head to the window and looked out over the bright streetlamps that lit up the city. Then the door shut quietly and the sound of Kakashi's footfalls died away gradually. Naruto slumped down into the chair opposite the hospital bed and bent over resting his head on one of his hands. The sheer weight of the information he had just absorbed had caused his legs to practically give way. He breathed in slowly trying to regain whatever type of calm he could. Shaking off his muteness he stood up and walked to the foot of the bed. He starred down at his comrade and sighed.

"I could have left you where I found you. In a pool of your own blood, but I guess you knew I wouldn't anyway," Naruto said quietly. "And after everything you've done you've come back just to torment her further. I won't interfere, but finish your business and leave." Then he left just as quickly as Kakashi had done, leaving the room silent and empty. Sasuke let the words wash over him and he closed his eyes tightly as the streetlamps blurred through what he refused to acknowledge as tears.

* * *

Tsunade slumped down in her chair heavily and proceeded to pour herself a very generous shot of sake, she leant back into her large seat allowing all her weight to hit the cushions. She dropped the file onto the desk with a bang and she proceeded to sigh. She looked up at her student who was starring at the floor seemingly clam but Tsunade could see that her jaw was clenched in what she assumed was anger. Tsunade finally sat up straight though she seemed to feel weighed down by the information just laid onto her.

"I want you to take some time off," she said simply. Sakura snapped her head up at looked at her sensei questioningly,

"What do you mean?" Sakura said slightly concerned.

"A few weeks off. You've concealed the true extent of your injuries to us," Tsunade said trying to soften her face and tone so this didn't sound like a telling-off. That was the last thing that either of them needed. "This must be traumatic for you." Sakura gave her a sceptical look and hardened over again.

"I can assure you Tsunade-sama that I am not traumatised in any sense," Sakura said with a very defiant sounding tone. Sakura was starring down Tsunade as if urging her to rebuttal, the conduct was very inappropriate seeing as she was in fact her senior and her Hokage but Tsuande seemed to let it fly. She hadn't really earned any of Sakura's trust in the past few hours so she wasn't expecting any respect back either. But she allowed herself one insight,

"Not all traumas are presented as nervousness and fear," Tsunade noted. Sakura looked out the window, knowing that another comment would definitely be out of line. She instead took a deep breath and turned back to her sensei.

"Tsunade-shishou I can assure you that I do not require any personal time. And I will surely not be relaxing if I am sat around at home. I need to be at the hospital, this is where I am needed." Sakura's calm and seemingly pleasant tone was enough to half-way convince Tsunade. She poured another shot for herself,

"Alright then. But I hope you will accept my assigning you to a few more triage missions then outside of Konoha. I think getting away from…. certain areas of your life here will be good for you," Tsunade said with a tone of finality. It kind of gave away that this wasn't so much a suggestion as a command but Sakura nodded obediently, secretly happy that Tsunade had had the insight to see what she had not had the opportunity to ask for. She gave Tsunade a short bow and disappeared from the room in a small cloud of smoke. Tsunade's frown deepened as she downed the shot in one and slammed the porcelain glass on the desk top hard.

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Well that's Chapter 3. I apologise for any mistakes but I tried hard to get this one out quickly. Hope you enjoy it :D


	4. Crack in the polished armour

Sakura paced the hospital corridors with her usual ruthless efficiency, checking every room thoroughly and personally examining each patient with a friendly smile. Despite the proximity she never allowed her mind to wander to her traitorous ex-team mate, the work was a happy distraction that was only broken every time she had to pass his room. Over the past several days she had managed to map out a route that completely avoided it all together. However when the nurses ran to her every five seconds asking why Uchiha Sasuke was not on a drip she found that she really didn't have the stomach for it. She angrily stormed into the staff room and slammed open her locker door. It had been five days since the incident and yet she still felt rattled. She had maintained her perfectly polished exterior but on the inside she felt shaken. She had trully meant all the harsh words she had said, she didn't want him here and he didn't deserve a second chance. However all the hatred she harboured for him could not remove the image of him staring up at her from that hospital bed. His eyes were sad and dare she say, almost apologetic. She shook her head, reprimanding herself for thinking about him. It was something she had not allowed herself for almost eight years and she wasn't going to start again now. She would not be that naïve little girl anymore! She flung her white doctor's coat into the locker and threw her satchel over her shoulder. With a quick goodbye to the night nurses she traipsed through the sterile hospital corridors and out into the crisp evening air. She took in a deep breath and brushed her hair away from her eyes and behind her ears. She turned down the high street and headed back to her apartment. As it was only nine o'clock the high street was still crowded with people; mainly groups of girls or guys out for a night on the town or nausiating couples. Sakura averted her eyes from the restaurant windows which were inevitably packed with the sentimental pairs and she marched on ahead. Suddenly she heard her name called,

"Sakura!" yelled the all too familiar voice. Sakura turned to see Ino hanging out of a bar door waving manically. Sakura waved and turned back round to carry on home, the thought of a late night encounter with Ino was not appealing at the moment. However something grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards.

"Oh no you don't missus!" Ino cried as she pulled Sakura back against her will. After being dragged back a few meters Sakura tugged her arm away from Ino and turned round to face her.

"Sheesh Ino were you trying to pull my arm off?" Sakura said angrily. Ino smiled her wide infectious smile and linked arms with Sakura, this time gently encouraging her back into the bar.

"Don't give me that! Do you have any idea how many messages I've left you in the past few days?" she questioned. Sakura looked at her sideways and smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah I'm sorry about that. It's just I've been a little preoccupied," she said looking down at their feet.

"You mean now that Sasuke is back," Ino slipped in expertly. Sakura snapped her head up and starred at her blonde friend. Ino read her expression before she had time to question her. "He came into the shop. He said you wouldn't know he admitted himself out of the hospital, seeing as you've been avoiding him." Sakura rolled her eyes and broke away from Ino's arm and pushed into the bar, now more than eager than ever to get a few drinks down her. Ino followed her immediately and they both sat down on the stools at the crowded bar.

"And what else did he tell you?" Sakura chided with a very sarcastic tone. Ino lay her arms on the bar heavily.

"Nothing." Sakura scoffed at her words, knowing the Uchiha he wouldn't make a special visit anywhere unless it was for own personal interest. Sakura motioned to the bartender who brought them two bottles of sake which Sakura downed in one fluid motion.

"Jesus Sakura!" Ino scolded. Sakura scowled at her friend and whammed the bottle back down on the bar whilst motioning for another. After three more bottles of sake and at least ten minutes sat in silence did Ino react. She starred at the hard wooden surface of the bar top and suddenly in a burst of rage slammed her fists to it, causing her sake bottle and all the others on the bar to rattle.

"God damn it Sakura," Ino practically spat. "Who do you think this self-destructive attitude is hurting more? Do you really think this is the way to get back at him?" she questioned. Sakura merely looked straight ahead whilst downing another bottle like it were water. Ino grabbed her shoulder and turned Sakura to face her so that she could try to engage her somehow. Ino's expression softened and her voice level dropped.

"I appreciate that I was the only one you told about your mission. I really do. What he did to you was unforgivable…" Ino continued but Sakura cut over her.

"Then why should I forgive him?" Sakura hissed. Ino regarded her for a moment, she knew that her efforts were usless on the "new" Sakura but she had to try and find her old smiling friend in those deep confines somewhere. Sighing through its futility Ino turned back to the bar once again and said simply,

"He's not the same man he used to be." Both women sat in silence for a long time, sipping at their drinks and avoiding eye contact. Suddenly Sakura's slightly slurring voice spoke out,

"Who do we let them get to us?" Ino turned to look at her. Her shoulders were dropped and her usual hard expression was dulled slightly. Her hand was wrapped tightly around the small porcelain bottle housing her precious alcohol. Ino looked at her in confusion.

"Who?" she questioned.

"Men!" Sakura said as she knocked the bottle on the table top to resonate her point. Ino watched her teeter from side to side and she let out a sad laugh.

"I don't know," Ino chuckled.

"No seriously," Sakura said turning to her friend clumsily. "Who do we let them run us? I mean… I spent years just striving to keep up with those Naruto and Sasuke. And even after he left us, I carried on. I was desperate to prove myself to him. I never got stronger for myself like I claimed, it was all for him," Sakura said with a sombre enthusiasm. Ino watched her eyes glass over and her breathing become more laboured under the threat of tears. Sakura's voice lowered suddenly to barely above a whisper.

"And then he does that to me? He leaves me to die at his hands. Well I won't let myself be exposed like that ever again. Not to him… not to anyone," Sakura said with a frightening intensity. Ino leant in closer.

"But what you've been doing is not the answer Sakura. Everyone has noticed a change in you. All the single missions, cutting yourself off from Team 7. Friendship with Kakashi and Naruto will not expose you to anything. I'm the only fortunate one you seem to be able to trust. Why is that?" Ino urged. She had long wondered why Sakura had opened up to her and not to Naruto or even Tsunade. She often saw Naruto give her unintentional looks of jealously but she didn't quite understand herself. Sakura remained silent and sipped away the last remnants of her liquid happiness. Ino sighed heavily. Maybe it was because she was a fellow kunoichi, a fellow woman. Ino was sure that on some level she would never be as close to her as Naruto has once been and maybe that was the ironic thing that saved their friendship. Suddenly out of her peripheral vision Ino saw Sakura try and get up from her chair but slowly fall back like a domino. Ino lunged for Sakura just in time to catch her as she fell backwards off her chair. Sakura giggled loudly and though Ino was happy to hear it for the first time in months she cursed Sakura's light weighted-ness. After dragging Sakura out of bar and earning many stares from the other patrons did they slowly make their way back to Sakura's apartment. The moment they arrived Ino put Sakura to bed after which it took a matter of minutes for the pink haired kunoichi to fall asleep. Ino removed her shoes and laid them under the bed before leaving the bedroom to make herself a well deserved cup of tea.

* * *

The morning glare slashed across Sakura's eyes and she hissed in pain. She rolled over onto her stomach but it wasn't long before a wave of nausea forced her out of bed. After a few minutes of paying for her indulgence last night Sakura wandered out of the bathroom into the kitchen.

"Ohayo!" came a call from inside. Ino was stood at the stove cooking something that smelt a lot like pancakes. Sakura guarded her eyes from the gleam of the kitchen's bright lights and Ino laughed softly.

"Oh I'm glad you find it funny," Sakura groaned as she collapsed into one of her kitchen chairs. Ino busied herself with pans and spatulas and only giggled more at her friend's pain. She picked up a plate of pancakes and a mug of hot coffee and dropped them on the table with a loud clatter that made Sakura hiss.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Ino chimed. She walked back to the stove. "Oh and I don't care if you hate coffee. Drink it!" Ino ordered. Sakura mumbled a thank you and downed the lukewarm brown contents in one swift swoop. She choked on the horrible taste and cursed her weakness last night when it came to an easy crutch like alcohol. She promised herself she wouldn't use substance abuse as a way to coast through life, she wouldn't become her father.

"I take it you haven't got a shift today then?" Ino said as she glanced at the clock on the wall. It read half ten and Sakura shook her head.

"No thank god," she sighed in relief. "Just training with Kakashi." Ino hummed in response and whipped off her pink apron with a bright purple lipstick kiss on the front.

"Tell me you won't stand him up again this time. Even for Kakashi-sensei that is harsh," Ino said as she leant against the kitchen counter. Sakura smiled slightly and dug into her pancakes.

A shower and a few aspirins later both women emerged from the apartment into the mid-morning sunshine. Sakura was beginning to regret the outfit choice of black shorts and a black tank top as the sun was already beginning to weigh down on her. Ino skipped down the front steps in one of the summery tea dresses she left at Sakura's for a pair of spare clothes. They both walked down the high street and bode a quick goodbye before turning in different directions. Ino watched Sakura walk down the well trodden path to the training grounds, this morning she had seen the old Sakura in one of those rare glimpses only she got the experience. Ino shook her head sadly as she disappeared from sight. She turned and began to walk back to the flower shop where she was long overdue to open up shop. When it finally came into view she saw a slouched figure leaning against the door frame, her heart skipped a beat and she broke into a small run. Only when she drew nearer did she realised that the slouching man was not the usual culprit but this time someone who made her heart skip a beat for a whole different reason.

"Ohayo Ino," came his cool velvety voice.

"Ohayo Sasuke-kun."

* * *

Sorry for the shortness of the last two chapters. Read and review. Hope you enjoy the chapter :D

kenners X


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